Pipe threading and cutting machine



r. E. WELLS.

PIPE THREADING AND CUTTING MACHINE.

Patented Apr. l8, I899.

(Application filed Ma 21, 1898.)

a Sheets$hee:t I.

(No Model.)

nwnor Iran/Z12? 7711 566.

No. 623,450. Patented Apr. l8, I899.

I F. E. WELLS. PIPE THREADING AND CUTTING MACHINE.

(Application filed May 21, 1898.) 1 -(No Model.) 3 sneetsshm 2.

No. 623,450. Patented Apr. [8, I899. F. E. WELLS.

PIPE THREADING AND CUTTING MACHINE.

(Application filed May 21, 1898.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

UNTTE STATES PATENT Orricn.

FRANK E. \VELLS, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

PIPE THREADINGAND CUTTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 623,450, dated April 18, 1899.

Application filed May 21, 1898. Serial No. 681,363. (No model.)

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that l, FRANK E. \VELLS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented newand useful Improvements in Pipe Threading and Cutting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a pipe threading and cutting machine, and is in the nature of an improvement on the machines for which Letters Patent were granted to \Villett O. \Vells and Frank E. Wells on the 11th day of January, 1887, No. 355,737.

The present invention has for its object, first, to provide improved means for throwing the screw-cutting chasers or diesinto and out of operation and for adjusting them for threading pipes of different sizes; second, to provideimproved cutting mechanism for cutting off the pipe; third, to provide improved friction feed apparatus for controlling the feed, and, lastly, to provide improved driving mechanism whereby the machinemay be driven either from the front or side or from both front and side simultaneously.

, To these ends my invention consists in the novel features and in the construction, ar-' rangement, and combination of parts hereinafter described, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, wherein Figure 1 is a front end elevation of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is a rear end elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section thereof, the die-head being shown in side elevation. Fig. 4 is a detail view illustrating the friction-clamp for clamping the leadscrew. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on the line 5 5 of Figs. 1 and 3. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the knuckle-joint latch. Fig. 7 is a detail view, partly in section, illustrating the latch in operative position. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section taken through the knife-box. Fig. 9 is a detail view, partlyin section, of the knife, carrier-block, and knife-box; and Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view of the knife-carrier block and knife removed from the knife-box.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 indicates the base with which the fixed parts of the machine are cast integrally. Supported on the base is a hollow cylinder or casing 2. Arranged to rotate in the cylinder is an annular peripherally-toothed gear 3, provided upon its inner circumference with a plurality of lugs 4. Fitted in the gear 3 is a cylinder 5, having a reduced and externally-tilreaded extension (5, which tits loosely in a corresponding cylindrical extension 2" formed on the rear side of the cylinder orcasing 2. Formed on the periphery of the cylinder 5 are a plurality of grooves 8, which are adapted to fit over the lugs 4 and cause the cylinder and gear 3 to rotate togetherf Fitted to rotate in the cylinder 5 is a multicam-plate 9, which is adapted to force inward and withdraw or retract, according to the direct-ion in which it is turned,a plurality of screw-cut ting dies or chasers 10. Arranged over the end of the cylinder or die-head 5 and inclosing the parts before described is a face-plate 11, having a segmental slot 12, corresponding to the outer edge of the cam-plate 9. Adjustably arranged in the slot 12 is a knucklejoint latch 13, constructed and operating as follows: Projecting through the slot is a headed bolt 11, the head 15 of which bears against the inner face of the face-plateand the shank of which is flattened or squared, as at 16, to prevent the bolt from turning in the slot. Over the outer end of the bolt is fitted a sleeve 17, on which is journaled a collar 18, provided with a laterally-projecting lug 18, said collar being held in place on the bolt by a nut 19, which also operates when screwed up tightly to clamp the sleeve and bolt in place on the face-plate, allowing the collar 18 to oscillate freely to compensate for the curvature of the throw of the latch. Pivoted to the opposite edges of the lug 18 are two parallel links 20, between the outer ends of which is pivoted the latch-lever 21. The pivotal point of the latch-lever is intermediate its ends, and one end of said lever is forked or bifurcated and has pivoted therein the outer end of alug 22, which passes through the slot 12 in the face-plate, and at its other end is fitted in a slot 23 in the periphery of the cam-plate 9 and held rigid therein by means of a bolt or other suitable fastening. To the other end of the lever 21 is attached IOC across the end of the lever to form a convenient means for grasping the latterto throw it to engage said threads is a pinion-shaft 36, ar'-' open and closed, and at its other end is bent down parallel with the edge of the lever and then at a right angle, as shown, to form a guide and stop for the lever and for holding the latter closed. The operation of this part of the invention is as follows: By throwing the latch-lever 21 open-that is to say, by throwing thethnmb-piece 24 over and away from the parallel links 20-the cam-plate 9 is turned in the direction of the arrow a and the screw-cutting chasers retracted or drawn radially outward. If thelatch-leverbe closed,

the cam-plate will be turned in the direction of the arrow 1) and will force the chasers inward into operative position. By these means the chasers may be instantly thrown into and out of operation. The extent to which the chasers are projected inward is regulated by adjusting the bolt 14 in the slot 12, whereby the chasers maybe adjusted for threading pipes of different sizes, and in order to indicate the point at which to set the bolt to cause the chasers to thread a pipe of any given size a series of graduation-marks are formed on the face-plate adjacent to the slot 12 and a corresponding mark formed on the edge of the collar 18, whereby by causing the said mark to register with either of the graduations the chasers will be set for threading a correspondingly-sized pipe.

The threading mechanism is driven as follows: Formed in the casing 2 is a journalhousing 25, in which is rotatably arranged a pinion 26, which meshes with the gear 3, the housing being bored to a true circle to allow the pinion 26 to accurately fit therein,whereby the entire periphery of the pinion is provided with a journal-bearing, in which the pinion is held in perfect alinement with the teeth with which it meshes, and the wear incident to merely journaling the shaft is avoided. The pinion 26 is centrally perforated, as at 27, and provided with a keyway 28, into which a spline on a shaft 29 enters when said shaft is inserted in the perforation, and the end of the shaft is squared for the attachment of a crank, whereby the pinion may be rotated by hand for driving the gear 3 and its connected part-s.

Formed on the end of the cylindrical extension 2 of the casing 2 are two vertical guides or ways 30, in which are. adapted to travel reversely-arranged V-shaped vise-jaws 31, which are engaged at their opposite ends by vertical threaded shafts 32, each of said shafts being formed with right and left screw threads. Upon the upper ends of'the threaded shafts are fixed gears 33, each of which meshes with an intermediate gear 34, adapted to be rotated by a hand-wheel 35. By turning 31 to approach or recede from ranged transversely of the extension 2 of the casing 2. The extension 2 is formed with a transverse enlargement 37, bored to a true circle to journal the pinion-shaft therein, so as to fit accurately, said pinion-shaft being held against longitudinal movement in a wellknown manner. On the outer end of the pinion-shaft is fixed a hand-wheel 3S, and embracing the outer end of said shaft is a friction-clamp 39, the degree of friction with which the clamp grasps the shaft being regulated by an adjusting-screw 40.

The pipe-cutting mechanism is constructed as follows Bolted to the face-plate of the diehead is a knife-box 41, in which is arranged to slide longitudinally a knife-carrier block 42, consisting of a block rectangular in crosssection and provided at its outer end with a cylindrical chamber 43 and intermediate its ends with a reduced cylindrical chamber 44, said block being also provided with a longitudinal slot 45, which extends from the top of the block to near its bottom and from its inner end to near the inner end of the cham ber 43. The slot 45 forms a way in which the knife is adapted to slide. Movably arranged in the knife-carrier block is a sleeve 46, having formed on its outer end a peripheral flange 47, adapted to move in the chamber 43, the inner end of the sleeve fitting within the chamber 44. Between the end of the chamber 44 and the flange 47 is arranged a coiled spring 48. The sleeve 46 is internally threaded, and engaging said threaded sleeve is a screw 49, provided near its outer end with two shoulders 50, which rest against the inner and outer faces of a plate 51, bolted to the end of the knife-box, and thus prevent the screw from moving longitudinally. The outer end of the screw is squared for the reception of a handle or wrench. The inner end of the sleeve 46 is split or forked and has arranged therein a knife52, which is rigidly secured IIO to the sleeve by a pin 53, that passes through the knife and sleeve and through two elongated slots 54, formed in the top and bottom of the knife-carrier block. By screwing up the screw 49, which is preferably a left-handed one, the knife and knife-carrier block are projected inward until the end of the knife-carrier block abuts the pipe to be out olf, thus arresting the further movement of the knifecarrier block, and then by continuing to turn the screw the knife will be projected from within the knife-carrier block against the tension of the coiled spring 48, as will more fully hereinafter be explained.

Inasmuch as the end of the pipe to be cut off projects beyond the face-plate of the machine, the shaft 20 cannot be turned by a crank and m nst be either rotatedby a ratchethandle or other means he provided for the purpose. -To this end I fix on the inner end of the shaft 29 a beveled gear 55, which meshes with a similar beveled gear 56, fixed on a shaft 57, journaled in bearings at a right angle to the shaft 29 and squared at its outer end for the reception of a crank, whereby the machine may be driven from the side, thus permitting any lengths of pipe to be cut.

The operation of the machine is as follows: Before inserting the pipe to be threaded the cylinder or die head 5 is projected outward by turning the hand-wheel 38. The pipe is then passed through the vise until its end is in contact with the chasers or dies and the vise closed, holding the pipe stationary. The die-head is then rotated, and as the pinionshaft 36 is normally held against rotation by its friction'clamp the externally-threaded extensionl; of the die-head as it rotates in engagement with the pinion-shaft will feed forward the die-head and lead the chaser-s or dies onto the'pipe with a force commensurate with the frictional resistance placed on the pinionshaft. \Vhen the dies or chasers have formed their own lead of thread, they control the longitudinal movement of the die-head irrespective of the engagement of the pinionshaft. When the thread has been cut the desired distance, the latclrlever 21 is thrown open, thus withdrawing the chasers or dies, and the vise is opened, thus permitting the pipe to be withdrawn and removed or projected farther through the machine to be cut off, in which latter case the vise is again closed and the die-head retracted within the casing to its limit to insure the knife having a true circular motion.

In the operation of threading the pipe,when the die-head has reached the limit of its longitudinal movement or is partially obstructed from following the pitch ofits lead-screw, as

when the thread being cut is but a fraction of the lead-screw thread, the pinion-shaft will revolve against the resistance of the frictionclamp to compensate for the difference of pitch of the two leads or for the circular movement only of the die-head. lVhen the pipe is to be cut off, the chasers or dies are thrown out of operation, as before stated, and the pipe projected through the die-head the required distance and locked in the vise. By screwing up the screw 49 the knife and knifecarrier block are both projected inward until the carrier-block abuts the pipe and by continuing to screw up the sleeve compresses the coiled spring as the knife is fed into the pipe being cut, the carrier-block thus acting as a sheath and support for the knife, and gages the knife by spring-pressure. Turning the screw in the opposite direction withdraws the knife, the pin 53 having a limited movement'- in the slots 5% in the knife-carrier block and also withdraws the knife and knife-carrier block within the knifebox.

As the shaft 29 cannot be employed for driving the machine in the operation of cutting off the pipe, for the reason before stated, it is driven by the shaft and bevel-gearing at the side of the machine, whereby anylengths of pipe can be readily cut. However, when rapid threading of the pipe is required both cranks may be simultaneously used.

Having described my invention, what I claim, is

1. The combination with the casing, the die- .head rotatably arranged therein, the camplate, the dies, and the slotted face-plate attached to the die-head, of the knuckle-joint latch attached to the face-plate and to a lug carried by the cam-plate, and operating to throw the dies into and out of operation, substantially as described.

2. The combination with the casin g, the diehead rotatabl y arranged therein, the camplate, the dies, and the slot-ted face-plate attached to the die-head, of the knuckle-joint latch adjustably attached to the face-plate and to a lug carried by the cam-plate and operating to throw the dies into and out of operation, substantially as described.

8. The combination with the casin g, the diehead rotatably arranged therein, the camplate, the dies and the slotted face-plate attached to the diehead, of the knuckle-joint latch consisting of the collar 18 adj ustably attached to the face-plate, the parallel links 20 pivotally attached to the collar, the latchlever 2 l pivoted intermediate its ends between the ends of the links, and a lug rigidly fixed to the cam-plate and pivotally connected to one end of the latch-lever, said latch-lever operating to turn the cam-plate and throw the dies into and out of operation, substantially as described.

at. The combination with the casing, the diehead rotatably arranged therein, the camplate, the dies and the segmentally-slotted face-plate attached to the die-head, of the kn tickle-joint latch consisting of the headed bolt 14 adjustably secured in the slot in the face-plate, the collar 18 arranged on the bolt and provided with a lug 18, the parallel links 20 pivotally attached to the lug, the latch-lever 21 pivoted intermediate its ends between the ends of the links, and a lug pivotally connected at one end to one end of the latch-1ever, and at its other end rigidly attached to the cam-plate, substantially as described.

5. The combination with the casing, the diehead rotatably arranged therein, the caniplate, the dies and the segmentally-slotted face-plate attached to the die-head, of the knuckle-joint latch consisting of the headed bolt lat ad j ustably secured in the slot in the face-plate, the collar 18 arranged on the bolt and provided wit-h a lug 18, the parallel links 20 pivotally attached to the lug, the latch-1ever 21 pivoted intermediate its ends between the ends of the links, a lug pivotally connected at one end to one end of the latch-lever and rigidly connected at its other end to the camplate, and a combined thumb-piece, guide and stop 24 attached to and projecting transversely across the free end of the latch-lever, one end being bent down parallel with the edge of the lever and then at a right angle,

IIC

substantially as shown and described and for the purpose specified.

6. The combination with the casing, and the die-head rotatably'arranged therein and provided with an externally-threaded extension, of the transverse pinion-shaft arranged to engage the threaded extension, a handwheel fixed on said shaft for feeding the diehead by hand, and a two-part frictionclamp fixed at one end to the casing and embracing the pinion-shaft, and a set-screw in the other end of said clamp for causing the latter to grasp the pinion-shaft with an adjustable pressure whereby the die-head may be automatically fed, substantially as described.

7 The combination with the casing, and the die-head rotatably arranged therein and provided with an externally-threaded extension, said casing being bored transversely to said threaded extension to form a shaft-housing, of the pinion-shaft rotatabl y fitted in said housing in engagement with the threaded eX- tension, a hand-wheel fixed on said shaft, and a two-part friction-clamp fixed at one end to the casing and embracing the pinion-shaft, and a set-screw in the other end of said clamp to cause the latter to grasp the pinion-shaft with an adjustable pressure, substantially as described and for the purpose specified.

8. The combination with the casing, the die-head rotatably arranged therein and the face-plate attached to the end of the die-head, of the knife-box fixed on the face-plate, the knife-carrier block movably arranged in the knife-box,the internally-threaded sleeve mov ably arranged in the knife-carrier block, the

knife fixed in the end of the sleeve, a coiled spring arranged between the head of the sleeve and an interior shoulder in the carrierblock,and a screw rotatably fitted in the knifebox against longitudinal movement and engaging the in teriorly-th readed sleeve,whereby the knife may be positively fed and the knife carrier block yieldingly fed against the work, substantially as described.

9. The combination with the casing, the die-head rotatably arranged therein and the face-plate attached to the end of the die-head, of the knife=box fixed on the face-plate, the knife-carrier block movably arranged in the knife-box, the interiorly threaded, headed sleeve movablyarranged in the carrier-block, the knife fixed in the end of the sleeve, a coiled spring arranged between the head of the sleeve and an interior shoulder in the carrier-block, and a screw arranged in the end of the knife-box against longitudinal movement and engaging the threaded sleeve, substantially as described and for the purpose.

specified.

10. The combination with the casing, the die-head rotatably arranged therein and the face-plate attached to the end of the die-head, of the knife-box fixed on the face-plate, the knife-carrier movably arranged in the knifebox, the interiorly-threaded, headed sleeve movably arranged in the carrier-block, the knife disposed in the inner, forked end of the sleeve, a pin passed through said knife and sleeve and through elongated slots formed in the opposite sides of the carrier-block, and a screw arranged in the end of the knife-box against longitudinal movement and engaging the threaded sleeve, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK E. WELLS. Witnesses:

GEORGE M. FINcHEL, M. N. RICKETTS. 

